The Chronicles of Grinnor Blackforge
by Gotrek
Summary: A Warhammer Fantasy story about a Dwarf, his name is Grinnor Blackforge, his tale as a Slayer and the adventures he has, please R&R! BTW: this is my first story!


**Disclaimer: I don't own Warhammer.**

**Chapter 1: The Life I Chose**

I stand on a mountain, looking down into the white nothingness. Snow covered the edge of this particular mountain. There was a brisk wind so cold it would make any normal man crumble. It brushed my skin and I felt the iciness of its touch. Once the small breeze passed, it left a whisper of snow on my foot. I lift my head to see more nothingness, even looking straight I saw more white. I let my axes hit the ground.

Not many people can do what I do and let their guard down, abandoning all self awareness. I lick my chap lips before they would flake. My orange beard was sprinkled with a powdery white snow. My face was covered in dry blood. Letting my body go was easy, but clearing my mind was not. It had thoughts of the last year, reminiscing, making sure this was the life I wanted. The life of a Slayer.

Though my face was bloody, my sharpened axes were not. I was new to this whole thing, this way of life. People of my old city used to say, that Slayers were the farthest thing from whole, or normal, now I realize that they are misunderstood. I try not to think of where I came from, the now dead city of Karak Azgal. I indulge in the silence for a moment. Greenskins are the cause of this wreck I call a new life.

Let me enlighten you in the tale of Karak Azgal. The town prospered, and the ale was perfect. Most of this town was underground, and to get it you had to go through some damp and dark mines. Great craftsmanship and the stone work was incredible. The only trouble we had was with some Goblin encampments near the mine base. It was minor, and always our small but effective military dealt with them. We had a good location in general, much snow and little elevation. The temperature was easy to adapt to, not as bad as it felt now though. Let me inform you of the horrors that drove me from my town, one year ago…

I was walking on the paved stone ground, passing many small homes, nodding and smiling at the slap happy drunks. I was making my way to a house of my own, where my wife and family were, no occasion just simply a visit. A crash echoed down the mines, right then I knew something was terribly wrong. I heard screeched like no other. At the mind bending sound I dropped my lantern, the oil splashed the floor and made a small fire. I backed away, near the shadowy wall.

A thunderous stampeed was making its way down the mine from behind me. The fire only showed me darkened figure of Goblins, but one approached me and I got a clear cut image of the menace. Its twisted face, curved and sick smiles, with their bloodshot red eyes, that once they fell upon you it drove a stake through your thickest nerves. Most of them passed on, there were hundreds, but this one in particular came to me, and unarmed Dwarf. I heard screams from down the mine, screams of all kind, men women and children, screams that would haunt me forever.

I backed away from the small green armored creature, I stumbled and my face smacked the stone floor. Blood leaked out of my nostrils like a river. It made the goblin chuckle, it actually began to toy with me, seeing was no threat. Pretending to stab me and ejecting his weapon once it almost came into contact with me, he found it hysterical. I was helpless.

I always thought about enlisting in the Dwarf army, just as a warrior, to help, to serve my race. In fact I signed for it only two days before this attack. But it wouldn't of mattered, this was an ambush. It would have helped to be armed though, maybe kill this pest in an instant, but me still being young in the Dwarf world, I was inexperienced. I could barely wield an axe, but I thought about taking the simplest job, operating the siege weapons with the rest of the nobodies.

It screamed at me, and hit me in the face with it's shield, my will to stay awake was strong, a couple more swings were taken and I was out fast. I awoke almost a day later, I was surrounded by ash and smoke, some Dwarf bodies were by me, over encumbered with arrows, some were still screaming when they died, there faces said it all. I lifted my body and got to my feet, I wobbled at first and took a step back, still dizzy from those hits. Once I made to the end of the mine and into the city I described as glorious, I realized all hope was lost.

I saw buildings charred with flame, and bodies flooded the paths, I took it all in at first, but then I thought of my family and started to run, running to my home. I saw a splintered door, or what was left of one, even some of the stone was crushed. It took all the courage I could bear to walk in there, and to this day I wished I hadn't. I could not stay, that's when I swore an oath, to hunt down these monsters that took away all I had ever loved. I knew what I had to become, which was unheard of in Karak Azgal, I was going to be a Slayer.

I took the blood of my family and slid my fingers through it, and then I rubbed it down my face, making for streaks from the forehead to the chin. That was my oath, my promise for vengeance. I walked down further and further through the town, it was hard to keep going but I thought I had to. Finally I made my way to the merchant's area and walked in the stores. I found the phial of orange dye, and took it, then took some pig grease rubbing it on my hands and then rubbing them together, I put my hair into a Mohawk.

Later in the day I used a shield to mirror my actions as I dyed my hair the bright orange, once I braided parts of my beard and threw my armor down, I looked like a Slayer. Then I quested to find and axe worthy of a Slayer, I didn't find anything as sharp as an official slayer axe, but I found two regular hatchets, they would do. That was the day one year ago when I left my destroyed city, seeking vengeance and hoping never to see it again.

It was months of traveling that lead me to where I stand now. The journey was long but far from complete. It was only three days ago when I encountered my first set of Orc thugs.

I walked on a snowy path, I already adapted to the cold weather and occasional snow storms, the beard was my only warmth, and it wasn't much, I came among some snow banks where I heard a grunted voice yelling. I recognized it was Orcs right away. I thought of a surprise attack, but as I said before I was an amateur, I directly confronted them. Once I turned to reveal myself, I saw one in heavy armor and four others with little or no armor.

"Alright ya scum, come and get some." I said holding my axes in a fighting stance.

They all chuckled and their leader spoke.

"Aye, you lil runt think ya take on dis warboss?" he said.

"You aren't a warboss, you lead no army jus these crew." I said.

"One on one, you lil pissa'." He said to me waving his giant two handed axe in the air.

"Alright." I said, as the other Orcs formed a square around us. Some howled and other chuckled as we circled each other.

I was first to charge, using hate as a fuel instead of skill, he nailed me right in the face with the end of his axe.

"Your supposed to hit with the sharp part you imbecile." I said, bleeding from the lip.

"Next time I'll be sure to hit ya' with it next time." He said.

He both engaged each other once again, I had some good parries, but his hits were much heavier than expected. I couldn't block much more, I now knew if I didn't kill him fast, I was as sure as dead. He swung, it swiped from the ground and to the air making a big mark in the snow, and upward swing knocked one of my axes right into the air.

Now the advantage was clearly his and I realized I was way in over my head. He jumped and swung down I stupidly tried to block instead of dodge and the wooden handle of my axe was turned to splinters. I was now unarmed, but not beaten.

He laughed, and now was aiming to embarrass me, by throwing down his weapon and putting his knuckles up, preparing to brawl, I did the same. He jabbed very quickly for an Orc, but was holding back and using speed, a smart tactic for and Orc. Soon blood was covering my face, I could barley see, but I didn't need to, I could feel the hits. One in the face again, now one in the chest. I fell to the ground, waiting for death.

I wiped the blood out of my eyes to see him, picking up his axe, he was planning on finishing it. He hovered above me, about to swing down, but suddenly he froze, and fell beside me. Then I realized there was an axe dangling from his back. I looked to the side, only to find three Slayer standing in the white storm, they quickly killed the other Orcs and approached me.

"What's your name?" Said one of them.

"I am Grinnor Blackforge." I said.

"Well, Grinnor, we watched your little fight and I must say, you are a disgrace to us Slayers. What were ya thinking goin after them, you obviously have no skill." He said.

"I seek vengeance on all Greenskins, they took my life away… you don't understand." I said.

"We are Slayers, we understand more than anyone in the world." He said.

"You weren't awful, but your not ready yet, I suggest you stay in this open land, find creatures that are also inexperienced, kill them and make your own journey, once you know your ready." He continued.

"But, I have now weapon." I said.

"Take the one in the Orc, train hard, and maybe our paths will cross again." He said turning away, his men followed.

"Wait, what is your name?" I asked.

He halted for a moment and said:

"It doesn't matter."

Then they continued to walk away.

Now three days later, here I am, still training with his axe, hoping in time to come I will make my life into a journey, and get my vengeance.


End file.
